Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2005-06-20/Features and admins

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Featured status removal still being discussed as license policy hits images

By Spangineer, 20 June 2005

Demotion of content that previously received the designation of featured status continues to be a sensitive matter, as the process for removing featured articles is still being debated. With the new emphasis on enforcing policies against images with restrictive licenses, the issue is now coming up for featured pictures as well.

There were 4 new admins, 13 new featured articles, 2 new featured lists, and 4 new featured pictures this week.

Featured article removal rules

Debate continues over the featured article removal policy, after the new procedure suggested by Nichalp was eliminated and other users suggested alternatives that would decrease the number of unfair nominations for removal of featured article status.

Neutrality removed the rules added last week to featured article removal candidates by Nichalp after a straw poll showed opposition over support in a two to one ratio. Piotrus and Nichalp suggested other methods of encouraging users to clarify their reasons for nominating an article to be demoted, but their proposals have not received the same amount of attention that was given to the straw poll. While the discussion continued, no featured article removal candidates were demoted this week.

New admins

4 requests for adminship were approved last week: Kbdank71 (nom), Sjakkalle (nom), JeremyA (nom), Kelly Martin (nom).

Featured content

After a slow week last week, the number of new featured articles jumped to 13 this week. The featured article candidates that passed inspection were Architecture of Windows 2000 (with Windows 2000 already having achieved this distinction earlier), the late George F. Kennan, Geography of India, Isaac Brock (the general, not the musician), Yom Kippur War, United States Senate, BC Rail, Gangtok, Vanilla Ninja, Island Fox, Anschluss, RMS Titanic, and David Helvarg.

Two featured list candidates, List of countries where UN peacekeepers are currently deployed and List of Presidents of the United States, were promoted this week. This brings the total number of featured lists to five.

Featured pictures and licensing

Four featured picture candidates were promoted this week, and Eastern Yellow Robin was demoted over concerns over licensing. The image, created by Tannin, carries one of the more restrictive types of Creative Commons licenses, which have been declared unacceptable for Wikipedia (see archived story). Discussion took place on Tannin's talk page over the defeaturing of the image and the possible future deletion of his images. Tannin explained that he does not release his images under the GFDL because it allows the images to be used for "naked commercial sleaze and greed", which, he argues, is not in the best interest of Wikipedia.